


In the Wake of Tragedy

by mostlylapidotandstuff



Series: Non-lapidot stuff [3]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Drabble, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I don't have a background for this, Sad, it could be in the same universe as betrayal but it also probably isn't, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-07
Updated: 2017-08-07
Packaged: 2018-12-12 09:37:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11734377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mostlylapidotandstuff/pseuds/mostlylapidotandstuff
Summary: Peridot, Amethyst, and Ruby–so much of the team's spirit, all gone. Nothing would ever be perfect again.Alternative title: The Sad Blue Gems and Pearl...and Steven.





	In the Wake of Tragedy

Hands shaking, Lapis rearranged Peridot’s shards beside the purple ones that had been Amethyst. She took a few ragged breaths and sat back against the wall of the Burning Room. They were fighting a losing battle, and all the gems knew it.

Peridot, Amethyst, and Ruby–so much of the team’s spirit, all gone. Sapphire was absorbed in grief that froze her to one spot in her ice-filled room, Ruby’s shards always in her hands, frozen into an imperfect circle. Nothing would ever be perfect again.

Lapis drew some water from the air and showered it over Peridot and Amethyst, watching the glistening drops run through the cracks. She pushed herself to her feet, legs shaking hard, and slid open the temple door. Steven stood outside, Pearl yelling at him. “Can’t you do anything, Rose?” Steven’s eyes were full of tears, but they hadn’t been enough to piece the shards together.

“Pearl,” Lapis whispered, voice rough from disuse. “We should go outside.” She reached a hand towards Pearl and Pearl tensed. “Pearl,” Lapis repeated. “It’s not his fault. We should go.” She laid a hand on Pearl’s shoulder.

Pearl yanked Lapis’s hand off but followed her outside. The sunlight was so, so bright, so much brighter than Lapis remembered. Maybe she had spent too long holed up in there, in her memorial. In the light, it was easier to see Pearl’s tears.

“We’re losing,” Pearl whispered, slumping against the side of the tattered house and slowly sitting down. “It’s not long until Sapphire shatters herself.”

“We can do it.” Lapis sat down beside her. “We can still fight.”

“But what are we fighting for?” Pearl closed her eyes. “Sapphire’s too sad to fight for love. You barely have ties to this planet.”

“You can fight in the name of Rose Quartz,” Lapis reminded her. “And everything that she believed in. And I will fight for Peridot and for Amethyst.”

“And what about Steven? What will they do to him?”

“No matter what they do, he’ll always protect us. Especially you. You’re the gem who taught him so much.”

“Garnet and Amethyst were his favorites.”

“That’s not true. He always said you were the best.”

Pearl shook her head and Lapis pressed on. “I know how hard it is. But we can survive together. The Sad Blue Gems and Pearl.”

Pearl smiled weakly at this. “And Steven,” she added.

“And Steven,” Lapis echoed, smiling as well as she stood. “Let’s go make ‘and Steven’ a snack.”


End file.
